O when I was a young man, I heard my mother say That she'd rather see me dead aye and buried in the clay Than to see me get married to any runaway By the lovely sweet banks of the roses On the banks of the roses, my love and I sat down I took out my fiddle for to play my love a tune In the middle of the tune, O she sighed and she said O Johnny, lovely Johnny, Would you leave me O when I was a young man, I heard my father say That he'd rather see me dead, aye and buried in the clay Sooner than be married to any runaway By the bonny sweet banks of the roses On the banks of the roses, my love and I sat down I took out my fiddle for to play my love a tune In the middle of the tune, O she sighed and she said O Johnny, lovely Johnny, Would you leave me O well then I am no runaway and soon I'll let them know I can take a good glass or leave it alone And the man that doesn't like me, he can leave his daughter at home And young Johnny will go roving with another On the banks of the roses, my love and I sat down I took out my fiddle for to play my love a tune In the middle of the tune, O she sighed and she said O Johnny, lovely Johnny, Would you leave me If ever I get married, twill be in the month of May When the leaves they are green and the meadows They are gay And me and my true love we will sport and play By the bonny sweet banks of the roses On the banks of the roses, my love and I sat down I took out my fiddle for to play my love a tune In the middle of the tune, O she sighed and she said O Johnny, lovely Johnny, Would you leave me